Bucket list experience:
Housed in a low, modest-looking building among pretty Mediterranean gardens, this museum houses the painter Marc Chagall’s remarkable cycle of 17 glowing, colour-drenched paintings inspired by the Bible. This permanent collection is the biggest public collection of works by the artist anywhere.
One of the greatest artists of the 20th century, Chagall has an entirely unique style that borrowed from many schools of modern art, including Cubism, Fauvism, Symbolism, Surrealism, Orphism and Futurism.
The artist was heavily inspired by the Cote d’Azur, and lived in nearby Vence from the 1940s to the 1980s, becoming a key part of the region’s rich art scene.
Replete with Chagall’s trademark folk symbolism, the colour-saturated, dreamlike works in Nice’s pristine white museum have a special magic, especially the brilliant red Song of Songs.
Want more recommendations in this destination?
Destination Guide >Recommended itineraries by our writers that include this experience
France
Where to go and what to see in the Cote d’Azur to get the most from your trip – a 9-day itinerary including Cannes, Monaco, Nice & Saint-Tropez from destination expert and travel writer Dana Facaros.
France
Where to go and what to see in Nice to get the most from your trip – a 5-day itinerary from destination expert and travel writer Dana Facaros.
Parking is difficult, and it’s a long slog up the hill, especially in the hot summer months, so take the No.15 bus from Place Massena or a taxi. Bring some ID to temporarily exchange for one of the museum’s excellent audio guides in English, and allow time to see the fascinating 30-minute film on Chagall in the museum auditorium.
There’s a café in the gardens serving light meals and drinks from February to December.
The museum is open all year round, Wednesday to Monday. Closed Tuesdays. There’s free entry on the first Sunday of each month.
Our writer’s picks of the best places to stay near this experience, closest first
Nice, Cote d'Azur, France[1.4 miles]
This attractive, friendly and affordable 4-star boutique hotel stands out for its lovely garden. It’s handily located just outside the pedestrianised area of Old Nice, close to Nice’s main sights, and a short walk to its beach.
Official star rating:
Nice, Cote d'Azur, France[1.5 miles]
This fun, colourful and affordable design hotel channels this area’s beach clubs, just off Nice’s Promenade des Anglais.
Official star rating:
Nice, Cote d'Azur, France[1.5 miles]
Contemporary suites and apartments set in an attractive 18th-century building, in a superb location in Old Nice. A great base for a few days in Nice.
Official star rating:
Nice, Cote d'Azur, France[1.7 miles]
Big, full-service hotel with a flashy image, set in a historic casino on Nice’s famous Promenade des Anglais seafront.
Official star rating:
Destination guides including or relevant to this experience
Cote d'Azur, France
Money, glamour and bombshell looks: this beach-trimmed stretch of French coast offers decadent hotels, lounging in beach clubs, fine restaurants and world-class art.
Cote d'Azur, France
The buzzing, art-filled, foodie capital of the French Riviera, with a charming, Italian-influenced historic centre. The ideal base for a first-time visit to the Cote d’Azur, and home to the world-renowned Nice Carnival.
Our writer’s recommendations of other bucket list experiences our writer says you must do in this destination, closest first
Nice, Cote d'Azur, France[0.8 miles]
Parades, costumes, flower ‘battles’, lights, and sun: Nice holds one of the world’s best carnivals – second only to Rio.
Best for ages: 4+ | Free | 2 weeks
Nice, Cote d'Azur, France[0.9 miles]
A spectacular train ride on a narrow-gauge railway through scenic French countryside, that you can ride from Nice on the Cote d’Azur to Annot in Haute Provence.
Best for ages: 4+ | £22 | 1 day
Nice, Cote d'Azur, France[1.2 miles]
This superb late 20th- and 21st-century art collection features many artists associated with Nice and the French Riviera. Nice’s answer to Paris’ Pompidou Centre.
Best for ages: 18+ | £8
Nice, Cote d'Azur, France[1.2 miles]
A beautiful 17th-century Genoese mansion that now houses a museum dedicated to the art of Nice’s longtime resident, Henri Matisse.
Best for ages: 18+ | £8
Other worthwhile experiences near this experience if you have time or interest..
Nice, Cote d'Azur, France[2.4 miles]
This magnificent former private mansion – built by a Russian princess – contains a fine collection of paintings and sculptures from the 16th to 20th century, by artists who lived in the Cote D’Azur.
Best for ages: 18+ | £8
Villefranche-sur-Mer , Cote d'Azur, France[3.9 miles]
Tucked between chi-chi St-Jean-Cap-Ferrat and Nice, the charming Medieval village of Villefranche-sur-Mer is the relaxed, boho antidote to the moneybags Riviera. A kilometre of coarse, gently shelving golden sand and crystalline waters, it’s all free and open to the public.
Best for ages: Any | Free
Nice, Cote d'Azur, France[4 miles]
A superb collection of art from France’s ‘Naive’ art movement, housed in a delightful pink mansion. Over 600 works from 27 countries.
Best for ages: 18+ | £5
Nice, Cote d'Azur, France[5.2 miles]
Built in 1908 in an ancient-Greek-style, this villa in a ravishing seaside garden setting features replica 2nd-century AD interiors typical of the island of Delos. The project of two scholars obsessed with the period.
Best for ages: 18+ | £8
